


The Smuggler and The Mercenary

by Tabby_Cat



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Awkward Flirting, F/M, Falling In Love, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:54:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27869534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabby_Cat/pseuds/Tabby_Cat
Summary: "I'm good at finding things," she stated."What kind of things?" He asked smirking.Her lips tipped upward, devilishly, "what do you need?"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Althea, a smuggler and potion maker, meets charming Krem while putting in efforts to help the Inquisition stitch the world back together.
Relationships: Cremisius "Krem" Aclassi/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	The Smuggler and The Mercenary

“Holy Makers balls!” Althea exclaimed as the crate dropped into her hands dipped below her waist before she straightened up, box in grasp. “What do you keep in here?”

The Inquisition soldier looked at her unamused, “resources. Now place it over by the others.” He pointed at the stack of crates sitting next to the big bonfire. She grunted as she waddled over to the fire shoving the crate roughly into place.

“I’m impressed Firefly, your arms don’t look like they can carry even half that size of a crate” Althea turned on her heel to look down at the one and only Varric Tethras. A friendly dwarf who had introduced himself when she had been brought in for questioning for throwing smoke bombs at the Haven soldiers.

“I make potions and slice people with swords, not lift boxes, and bash people with shields. They wanted my talents but have completely ignored everything I can do.” She threw her arms up in exasperation. After a moment of stemming in anger, she sat on the snow next to the fire, giving her bones a moment to absorb the heat. 

“Are you sure they’re going to allow that?” Varric asked smirking at her.

As if on cue, the soldier that had handed her the box looked around and laid eyes on her sitting down. “Smuggler! Return at once and help!”

She waved her hand at him putting on a big shit-eating grin, “you’re doing great! I’m going to take a break! Beautiful job!” 

His face burned in anger, stalking off, probably to find the commander in charge, or worse, Commander Cullen who would definitely put her through another round of shield training. She rubbed her arms, remembering the aching feeling after being smacked around with other shields. 

“I’d say you’ve got five minutes” Varric chuckled.

“Eh, ten.” She blew breath heavily out of her mouth, pushing her copper bangs back from her eyes.

“How goes traveling with the Herald?” Althea was genuinely curious, she was sick of hauling boxes and running scrolls between different people to sign off on. “I should be out there helping.”

Varric gave her a sympathetic look, knowing her feeling of feeling trapped under Leliana, Commander Cullen, and Seeker Cassandra. 

“It’s pretty dangerous, the sky’s ripped open in so many places, the Herald is in a million different places just trying to keep the people from tearing each other apart.”

Althea groaned, lolling her head back, “that sounds fun” she whined, drawing out her words. “I need an open space! I need movement! I need my swords and ingredients.” She stood starting to get frustrated again, “they can’t just keep me cooped up here with nothing to do but busy work.” She paused from her rant, taking a breath before turning back to face Varric, “have you gotten a chance to speak with the Herald? Maybe she’ll want me to join and help out, I can join you!”

Varric sighed, looking sincerely at Althea, “Listen, Firefly, the Herald has a lot to do and a lot on her mind, it’s hard to get simple jokes through to her without even a crack of a smile.”

Althea’s heart dropped, “but,” she stopped trying to think over her words. “But I’m good! Great even! I can’t stay here Varric, I need room to think, just one time outside of this city at the very least. I haven’t been able to see what the world looks like since being dragged here! Don’t I deserve to know what our world has come to as well?”

She could see the sympathy in his eyes, blowing a long breath out of his nose. “You do. But right now my hands are tied, I don’t want to break the only piece of hope due to stress, please understand.”

Althea wrung her hands, stomping her feet like a child, she groaned before plopping on the ground again. “I do Varric, I’m sorry you’re also going through a lot, I shouldn’t ask you to do these small tasks.”

He sat down next to her, “I want to help you, and as soon as there’s some sort of peace, I’ll make sure to get you out there where you belong.”

Althea turned and smiled at him, a sad smile on her face. “Thank you Varric.”

They sat in silence for a few moments, the sounds of the crackling fire intensified over soldiers unloading crates, and training outside of Havens gates. 

She huffed before heaving herself from the ground, brushing the cold snow from her butt and legs. “I should start working again, make it look like I never stopped to give that asshole a run of his money when he comes back with someone.” Varric chuckled at the thought, nodding his head.

“I’ll let you know if I can talk to the Herald at all.” Althea smiled at him, nodding her head in appreciation. 

As she left the warm fire, she decided to walk the long way back behind the tavern and passed the chantry to gather more crates of resources. The music of the bard's voice drifted to her through the open door of the tavern. She peeked her head in seeing the beautiful bard strumming her lute, she wished to taste the ale that was being served to the patrons and listen until the early hours of the morning to that beautiful woman. 

The bard looked her way and she jumped, smiling clumsily, giving a quick wave, and briskly walking off, her heart hammering in her chest. ‘Idiot’

As she approached the resource tent she heard the large wooden Chantry doors open squeaking on their hinges. The Herald pushed through the doors, looking like she had a million things on her mind.

Varric had refused to say anything to the Herald about her helping in the field because he didn’t want to put a burden on her. However, she hadn’t taken the same oath. She felt a bit of guilt going against Varrics wishes, then pushed it down and ran over her. 

The herald was a Dalish elf with sepia brown skin, which seemed to shine in the light. Her white markings stood out on her face as she approached closer. She was lean, her staff fastened to her back to use in a moment’s notice.

“Herald if I may have a moment!” She looked up to her, looking confused, and searched Althea’s face. Of course, the two hadn’t spoken much yet, due to the Herald always being out on missions, and Althea, well, being stuck here. 

“I’m Althea! A smuggler that they recruited about a month ago?” The Herald took a moment and then a light popped in her eyes as she nodded, her lips turning to an “o” shape in recognition.

“Yes of course” her voice was silky and sultry, Althea repressed a shiver since she never got to hear the Herald speak on this volume. It felt so intimate. Althea fell into her dark eyes for a moment.

“Althea?” She jumped out of her daze.

“Ah yes of course! You see I’ve been recruited for my smuggling, and all-around greatness,” she almost kicked herself, “uh, and I haven’t been doing that greatness.”

This time she did kick herself in the heel, clearing her throat and scratching the back of her neck. She signed “I really want to go out in the field your, uh, Heraldness? I want to help and I’m no help here.” 

The Herald blinked a few times, a million thoughts seems to cross her mind. “Uhhh, well first, please address me as Sharil, my name, I hate this Herald nonsense.” Althea’s shoulders relaxed. “I would love to hear more about this, however, I believe you should bring this up with your head of command so they can speak with Commander Cullen or Spymaster Leliana.”

“Heral- Um, Sharil, I promise you I have spoken to multiple people, no one is taking me seriously. I was the one dragged here! I want to help and be in the field, I have no place dragging boxes.”

Sharil sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Althea froze, oh no, she’s broken the Herald. Varric told her this would happen. 

After a long moment of silence, Sharil looked up, “what are your talents exactly?” 

Althea beamed, “I’m very proficient with dual-wielding. However, I’m even better with potions, poisons, and bombs. I can make you smoke bombs for a quick getaway, health potions to heal up, or even sticky bombs to hold your enemies in place!”

“You mentioned that you were a smuggler, care to elaborate?” Sharil looked inquisitively at her, taking in everything she said, but not letting her thoughts display on her face.

“Oh, yes, I’ve had lots of experience smuggling precious items, ingredients, once I smuggled birthday presents actually” She chuckled to herself, “strange times.”

“Have you smuggled people?”

Althea froze, she took a moment and swallowed down her nervousness. Sharil waited patiently for a response, her eyes interrogating her.

“Once,” she began slowly, recalling the memory easily, “I was tricked into it, as soon as I realized what our cargo was I dispatched the rest of the smugglers and helped free the people who were on their way to being enslaved.” Her stomach did a backflip, “I tried to help relocate them myself, but I got into a nasty bit of trouble and had to leave the rest of them with my trusted contacts, I really hope they were all safe before this world tore itself apart.”

After a few moments, Sharil came up and clapped Althea on the shoulder, she was smiling. “I’d be happy to ask Commander Cullen about bringing you along for the next time I leave Haven, I can’t promise anything, however, I do intend to fight for this.”

Althea smiled wide, she almost hugged the Herald before stopping herself and laughing. “Thank you so much!” 

As Althea almost groveled at Sharil’s feet a handsome young man came up to the two, he wore heavy armor that had been scratched up and cleaned too many times to count. He had gorgeous tan skin, his dark hair was cropped close to the sides of his head while the top of his head had fuller hair, which curled slightly at the ends.

Althea and Sharil both stopped, the man addressed Sharil, “Excuse me, I’ve got a message for the Inquisition, but I’m having a hard time getting anyone to talk to me.” 

Her heart stopped in her chest. His voice was higher than she thought it would be, but as he spoke every syllable she realized it sounded just right coming out of his mouth past his lips. His eyes stayed trained on the Herald, polite yet to the point. 

“Well I have no clue why for someone as handsome as yourself” Althea tried to close her mouth, but the words had spilled over like a breaking dam. He smirked at her, his eyes flashing over and roaming her face. She wanted to squeal as if she were a young girl again with a childhood crush.

Sharil cut a look at Althea, not in anger, but just disbelief at what had fallen out of her mouth. Althea met her eyes briefly, grinning sheepishly. After a moment she looked back over to the man.

“Who are you, soldier?”

He looked back to Sharil, regaining his composure, “Cremesicus Acalssi, with the Bull’s Chargers Mercenary Company.”

Althea had worked with plenty of mercenaries, however, she had never heard of this group.

Cremescius, as he introduced himself, offered to have the Herald meet the Chargers at the storm coast to watch them work. Althea felt herself become weak at the idea of her first mission to accompany the Herald and meet with Cremescius and his companions.

While Althea was daydreaming, Sharil had asked about the leader of the Company, The Iron Bull.

“Iron Bull? He’s one of those Qunari, The big guys with the horns?” That took Altyhea out of her daze, she had heard what had happened in Kirkwall with the Airishock. She didn’t know much about Qunari, other than the rumors of them being wildly unpredictable and wanting to wage wars. 

“He leads from the front, he pays well, and he’s a lot smarter than the last bastard I worked for.” Althea couldn’t hold back her giggle, she liked the way he talked about his boss, it was as if he was a child speaking about their parent.

Again she got that smirk, she decided then and there that she’d do anything to get the look again from him, she needed it.

Finally, the Herald agreed to take a look, Sharil bid her farewell before turning to Althea.

“I’ll let you know when we’re leaving, but again no promises.” Althea smiled wide and nodded her head. 

“Thank you.”

Althea turned back to Cremecius, almost forgetting that he was still standing there.

She smiled and dug the toe of her boot into the ground, feeling awkwardness settle around the two of them.

He took a deep breath before steeping just an inch closer. “May I have the pleasure of getting to know your name, my lady?” 

She flushed, her face warning up unbearably. “Altea, oh” her tongue tripped up on her own name, she stuttered. “Althea” She pronounced her name slowly for herself, making sure to not slip up again. She felt like such a fool, however, this man kept the smile on his face, she felt her heart beat a slower rhythm but could burst out of her chest at any moment. 

“Cremecius, but please call me Krem,” he had held out his hand and she shook it, taking in the callouses littering his hands from loads of experience with heavy weapons, she also noticed how warm his palm was, not wanting to let go.

“Krem” she tested the name on her tongue and felt satisfied knowing something more about this soldier than the Herald. She reluctantly released his hand.

“What would be your role then miss Althea?” 

“Oh, no miss please, there’s no need to be so formal.” He nodded his head, agreeing. She didn’t want to get into another longwinded explanation of her talents.

“I” She paused for a moment, “I’m good at finding things” she stated.

“What kind of things?” He asked, smirking. Her heart was about to burst.

Her lips tipped upward, devilishly, “What do you need?” She drew out the words slowly. 

She could see his throat bob for a moment before clearing it, looking away and looking back.

“I see, well when we cross paths again, then some cheese, and your favorite flower, I’ll reward you handsomely.”

She giggled again, her brain was melting, “I’ll make sure of that sir.” 

Before the tension could get any thicker she heard footsteps march up behind her.

“You!” 

She jumped whipping around, putting up her hands. It was the man who had her on crate duty, his face looked red and he was breathing heavily. It seemed like he combed a good part of Haven to find her.

she sighed, “Damnit.”

She turned back to Krem, shooting him a smile, “see you soon.” Then was marched away by the man back to moving crates. 

Krem smiled to himself and let out a deep breath of relief, “I think that went well”.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! I have a bunch of ideas for at least five chapters out, so hopefully, I shouldn't leave you without an update for too long.


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